James molyneux



Umani) srafrns PATENT oFrioE.

JAMES MOLYNEUX, 0F BORDEN'IOWN, NE\V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BORDENTOVN MACHINE CO.

BLOCK FOR FORI-ING TILES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,026, dated September 1 1, 1860.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES MoLYNEUx, of Bordentown, Burlington county, New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Block for Forming Tiles, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters lof reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to the peculiar construction of a block for shaping tiles and other clay forms and consists in constructing the block of two halves and combining` therewith the bar described hereafter or any equivalent device whereby the upper half of the block may be elevated above the lower half and allowed to fall thereby enabling the operator to withdraw the block from the soft clay tile without distorting the same.

In order to enable others to make and use my invention I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved block for forming tiles. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections on the line 1, Q, Fig. 1, illustrating the different positions assumed by the two halves of the block; Fig. 4, a transverse section on the line 3, 4, Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 a ground pla-n.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A and B are the two halves of the block the former being rounded on the top and the latter consisting of a plain strip of wood of the same thickness throughout, both halves being wider in front than at the rear end as shown in Fig. 5 and the top of the upper half being inclined downward from the front to the rear as seen in Fig. 1 this form being necessary for shaping a particular class of tiles.

The exterior shape of the block may however be modilied and adapted to tiles of different forms.

The two halves of the block are connected together by any convenient number of pins e e which pass freely through the lower half and screw into the upper half of the block as seen in Fig. 4, there being recesses in the under half of the block for the reception of the heads of the pins so that the upper haltl can be raised above the lower half to the extent illustrated the two halves being still connected together by the pins.

In the underside of the upper half of the block is a longitudinal recess for the reception of the bar C which rests on the lower half and can move freely between the two halves in a longitudinal direction only and this to a limited extent. This bar C has nea-r its front end a projection a with one side vertical and the other inclined, and in the upper half of the block is a recess or notch o adapted to receive the said projection a. The rear end of the bar C has an inclination adapted to an inclination CZ at the end of the longitudinal recess in the upper half of the block.

A pin f at the outer end of the bar limits the inward movement of the latter, the outward movement being limited by the vertical side of the projection a catching against the vertical side of the notch c.

In forming the semicircular tapering tiles for which the above described contractile block is adapted, a solid block of the desired form has been heretofore used a sheet of clay of an appropriate size and thickness being spread over and compressed against the top and sides of the block as seen in Fig. 3, after which the whole is deposited on a suitable shelf, the block being subsequently withdrawn so as to leave the tile resting with its two turned down edges on the shelf, where it remains until dried sufficiently to be submitted to the kiln.

There is great diiiiculty in withdrawing the solid block from the soft clay tile with out destroying the proper shape of the latter, inasmuch as the clay7 will adhere more or less of the block even if it be sanded, the consequence being the general distortion of the tile. My improvement has been especially designed to obviate this evil.

Prior to depositing the sheet of clay on the blocks the bar C is moved inward so as to elevate the upper half of the block or in other words to expand the whole block as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The sheet of clay is then spread over the top of the block and down the sides, the edges of the bent sheet coinciding with the underside of the lower half of the block as seen in Fig. 3. After depositing the whole on a shelf the operator seizes the front end of the bar C and draws it outward until the inclination of the pro* jections a, and b of the bar coincide with the corresponding inclinations formed in the upper half of the block when the latter will fall free from Contact with the clay as seen in Fig. 2 after which the now contracted block may be withdrawn from the tile leaving the latter undisturbed and free from all distortions.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to confine myself to the precise device herein described for raising the upper half of the block and allowing it to fall, nor do I desire to confine myself to the precise form of the block illustrated as a contractible block operating precisely in the manner described, and with similar results may be shaped to suit dierent tiles and clay forms; but

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

Constructing the block for forming tiles and other clay forms in two halves A and B and combining therewith the bar C or any other equivalent device by which the block may be expanded and contracted for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES MOLYNEUX.

Witnesses:

F. B. GORDON, THOMAS BENNETT. 

